HONOLULU – May 20, 2010 – Hawaii’s Na Kama Kai organization, founded in 2008 by Oahu’s Duane DeSoto, will partner with the Rainbow Sandals Gerry Lopez Battle of the Paddle in Waikiki, June 12 & 13, to provide free ocean awareness and safety clinics for 150 children over both days of the event. The event is presented by Quiksilver Waterman Collection.

Of the total 150 children participating in the weekend’s clinics, 50 will come from a Waianae family shelter. They will be supported by a total of 90 volunteer staff.

Na Kama Kai is Hawaiian for “Children of the Sea” and promotes the Waterman lifestyle to the youth as opposed to just surfing lessons. The non-profit organization holds free waterman clinics where children are able to interact with prominent members of the surf, canoe paddling, paddle boarding and swim communities. The main objective of the Na Kama Kai events is to expose children to the Hawaiian culture and the benefits of a healthy lifestyle centered around ocean activities.

“In general it’s a waterman clinic because we’re very open,” says Na Kama Kai Founder, Duane DeSoto. “We’re not teaching surf lessons. We’re not teaching swim lessons. We’re teaching kids how to be comfortable in the water and then explore from there. It’s a cultural thing for us and you don’t learn through talking, you learn through doing and interacting.”

In addition to the free clinics, Na Kama Kai will also host children’s age division races on both days, as well as an agility race that incorporates swimming, running, stand-up paddling, and paddleboarding (see schedule below). There will be trophies and prizes as well as a surfboard giveaway at the end of both Saturday and Sunday. Children who participate in the Na Kama Kai events will receive a raffle ticket that makes them eligible for the giveaway.

“Rainbow Sandals is excited about being in Hawaii and supporting the vital work of Na Kama Kai,” said Rainbow Sandals founder Jay ‘Sparky’ Longley. “Na Kama Kai’s mission to empower youth through their ocean-based programs will increase the capacity of young people in the community. Theirs is an incredible cultural, environmental and educational endeavor that Rainbow Sandals supports with pride.”

“The opportunity to partner with Rainbow Sandals means so much to us,” said DeSoto. “This project is so important to us in our deep-felt desire to share the positive effects that the ocean has to offer children. In return, we look forward to sharing a love of the ocean with these kids that will foster their desire to care for the ocean so it is there for all future generations to enjoy.”

Na Kama Kai is a registered 501c3 non-profit organization. Since the group’s inception, they have held more than 30 clinics, servicing over 1,500 children free of charge.

Na Kama Kai would like to extend a sincere ‘mahalo’ to the following for their support during the Rainbow Sandals Gerry Lopez Battle of the Paddle Hawaii: Hawaii Tourism Authority; Kanalu (Water Safety); SurfTech (surfboards); Planet Sun (sunscreen); and NALU Studies (Marine Biology).